Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Purple martin update

I believe I can really, truly, honestly, happily report that we DO INDEED have a pair! They've shared two nights together so far. I think that's pretty darn committed!

Here's what we've observed since my last report, "Just one martin," April 19:

Saturday, April 20
I didn't feel up to sitting in the Meadow, so I watched with my binoculars from our bedroom window. I kept a pretty close eye, but I didn't see even one martin go inside our house. Sniff.

Sunday, April 21
However, the next morning, I looked out our window as soon as I got out of bed (which was...don't tell anyone...after 8) and I SAW A MARTIN on the house! I felt tons better!

During the day, I watched the house and kept the sparrows away as best as I could. I cleaned out their two nests, too. I was THRILLED when our male returned with another gal! At one point, a male sparrow shot between them and went into the middle compartment! MEAN! This was WAR. The rest of the day, all I wanted to do was stay outside and scare off sparrows. Which I nearly did. 

That evening, James and I sat in the Meadow. We clapped and threw rocks to keep the sparrows away. TWO martins flew in! They were in bed by 8 p.m.

Monday, April 22

I've ordered a Universal Sparrow Trap from the Purple Martin Conservation Association

I watched off and on during the day. One time, our martins returned with two others. But they didn't stay. In the evening, a third martin showed up and perched on the utility line for awhile. Then it left.

Around 8 p.m., our male went into the second-floor compartment for the night, and she went into the top floor. We could hear him "talking" inside his room.

"Nope, not this time, Hon, you're sleeping down here with ME," he seemed to be chortling. After several minutes of him fussing, she finally relented and moved downstairs with him! She's stayed TWO NIGHTS now!

Tuesday, April 23
We braved 55-degree temps and kept watch from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. First, we did remove the two sparrow nests. I, for one, was VERY happy to see our pair fly in and go right to bed before 8 p.m. 

This time, they slept in the top bunk.


Wednesday, April 24



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sheryl,
You are right to be concerned about the House Sparrows. We have taken out 7 so far! 4 were caught in my trap first, but the other 3 were thanks to "dead-eye"Doug, my understanding husband. He hates killing anything, but last year, after all 6 families in my house were nest-building(early May), a sparrow killed one of the females! The whole house was vacated within 3 days. Thankfully, the 3 families in the gourds stayed and had their families! So, this year we have been quite determined to wage war on the sparrows! Success so far!
Shirley W.-Blanco

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers said...

That's all it took here, too. James and I both saw how the sparrows are toward the martins. They've gotta go!

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